Biblical Exegesis - Final Exam - Kevin Moore

Interpretation

is seeking to understand and explain the meaning of something, applied in this class to the biblical text.

Hermeneutics

is the (artful) science and methodology of interpretation.

Eisegesis

is the dubious process of reading into the text a secondary meaning, typically of one's own surmising

Exegesis

is the process of drawing out of the text its original meaning (what it meant).

Exposition

is the explanation and practical application of the fruit of exegesis (what it means).

Denotation

is the explicit meaning of a word when used in a direct sense.

Connotation

is the special meaning of a word when used in an indirect sense; the suggestive or associative or implied meaning.

Semantic domain

is the range of possibilities for a word's usage

Etymology

is the study of word origins and how meanings change through history.

Genre

is the literary type or category of a given composition.

Pericope

is a section of text that forms a single coherent unit (similar to but not limited to a paragraph)

We are compelled to approach the message of the Bible with utmost respect and care if we accept it as what?

The inspired word of god

- As discussed in class, what is the difference between the hermeneutical "circle" and the hermeneutical "spiral"?

- Which of these makes understanding the inspired author's original intent nearly impossible?

- Which of these makes understanding the inspired author's original intent more likely?

- The hermeneutical circle is the idea that an interpreter's mental baggage shapes the conclusions drawn from biblical texts, A more realistic concept is the "hermeneutical spiral,", as a conscientious exegete gathers more and more information, potential meanings are eventually narrowed down until the inspired author's original intent is grasped.

- The circle makes it nearly impossible to understand the author's orignal intent.

- The spiral makes understanding the original author's intent more likely.

Jesus promised, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth ..." (John 16:13a, ESV). Contextually, to whom was Jesus speaking and issuing this promise?

his chosen apostles

To help maintain the necessary commitment and mental focus that leads to understanding God's word as we search for wisdom from above, it is important to couple Bible study with what?

it is important to couple Bible study with prayer

What are the three main exegetical approaches discussed in class?

Impressionistic, Dogmatic, Gramtical Historical

Impressionistic -

is when scripture is evaluated in a way that equates the meaning of the text with the interpreter's immediate thoughts.

Dogmatic

- views scripture as a storehouse of proof texts to be selected and arranged to bolster a preconceived doctrine or set of beliefs.

Grammatical Historical

- an attempt to understand scripture in its original setting

Which of these is the simplest approach that requires the least amount of effort?

Impressionistic is the simplest approach.

Prohibitive silence (or "rule of exclusion") is based on the conviction that the entirety of what God wants us to know about his will has been fully disclosed by what means?

The word of God

In the process of translation, when the intended message and the received message are significantly different, what inevitably occurs?

Miscommunication occurs

What is the major problem with an absolutely literal word-for-word English translation of the Bible?

practically unintelligible

- It doesn't neatly correspond to English/American very well.

What is the major problem of an English paraphrase of the Bible?

danger of not accurately capturing the true sense of the text

Which translation philosophy is an attempt to render the text as literally yet as intelligibly as the translation process will allow, approximating as nearly as possible a word-for-word translation?

Formal Correspondence

Which translation philosophy is an attempt to convey the meaning of the text in free and idiomatic English, approximating as nearly as possible a thought-for-thought translation?

Dynamic Equivalence

True or False: No standard translation of the Bible is entirely formal or entirely dynamic, yet nearly every version more heavily favors one translation philosophy or the other.

True

True or False: All translators bring their own presuppositions and mental baggage to the translating enterprise, so beware of theological biases.

True

What are the first three rules of biblical exegesis?

Context, Context, Context

Before any biblical text says anything to anyone in modern times, it has already spoken to whom?

To whom it was first addressed

True or False: As noted in class, without a basic understanding of historical context, much of the NT is obscure if not virtually inexplicable.

True

True or False: Because of the sociocultural context of scripture, modern exegesis is an exercise in cross-cultural communication.

True

Since each statement in the Bible is surrounded by and connected to additional information that helps determine its meaning, the connection of thought a passage bears to the larger discussion of which it is part constitutes what aspect of context?

Literary

As noted in class, to determine the context and meaning of any passage of scripture, it is helpful to begin by asking what two basic questions?

Who is speaking and/or writing? Who is being addressed?

When the Bible says, "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13), how do we determine whether or not baptism is included?

Context

As noted in class, the fundamental mechanism for conveying thought is what?

Words

True or False: A single word is of little communicative value apart from a broader context.

True

True or False: It is not our job to determine the meanings of biblical words but to contextually discover the meanings as originally intended.

True

True or False: It is not our job to discover the meanings of biblical words but to determine the meanings.

False

True or False: Plethoric word-study tools are available in print and in digital format but not all are of equal value.

True

True or False: Plethoric word-study tools are available in print and in digital format and are all of equal value.

False

For basic word study tools beyond multiple English Bible translations, what recommended resource alphabetically lists each word in the English Bible with corresponding Hebrew or Greek terms, citing all scripture references where the word occurs?

Exhaustive Concordance

Of the intermediate word-study tools, what resource provides the biblical text in the original language(s) with a literal English translation under each word?

Interlinear

True or False: Despite our most diligent exegetical efforts, there are times when precision of meaning in a biblical text is elusive.

True

Although we cannot demand, force, or expect precision of meaning that is just not in the biblical text, as modern-day interpreters, helping fill in the gaps, we are advantaged by having access to what?

God's complete revelation

True or False: When a biblical text is clear and precise, there is no legitimate excuse for rejecting or misconstruing its meaning.

True

Giving attention to the second person pronoun ("you"), as noted in class, is Ephesians 6:10-18 (putting on the whole armor of God) about equipping individual Christians to combat the devil's personal attacks, or about the spiritual warfare we all face together in a collaborative effort?

Spiritual warfare we all face together

The first-person-plural pronominal "we" has two applications in scripture:

· When referring to "you and I," it is what kind of "we"?

Inclusive

When referring to "he/they and I" in contrast to "you," it is what kind of "we"?

Exclusive

In 1 Corinthians 2:6-13, Paul says, “we speak the wisdom of God …. God has revealed them to us through his Spirit …. Now we have received … the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God” (NKJV). As discussed in class, are these “we” references (a) inclusive of the reading audience, or (b) exclusive of the reading audience?

Exclusive of the Reading Audience

The "we," speakers of wisdom (1 Cor. 2:6), are: (a) among the mature; or (b) spiritually immature?

Among the mature

The "you," Corinthian readers/hearers (1 Cor. 3:1-4), are: (a) among the mature; or (b) spiritually immature

Spiritually immature

As noted in class, with the apparent inclusion of other apostolic teachers (1 Cor. 4:9), every first-person plural in 1 Corinthians chaps. 3-4 directly applies to whom?

Paul and Apollos

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Cor. 3:16-17, NKJV).

As discussed in class, contextually are these second-person pronominal references (a) singular, in reference to the individual Christian, or (b) plural, in reference to the collective church?

Plural, in reference to the collective church

“Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead? And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” [You] Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” [You] Awake to righteousness, and [you] do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (1 Cor. 15:29-34).

As discussed in class, contextually to whom do the pronominal references apply?

· “I”

Paul

"we"

Paul and immediate colleagues

"you"

The Corinthian reading audience

"they"

False teachers